MINNEAPOLIS, Minn.-- North Central University Women's Soccer fought valiantly but came up on the short end of a 1-0 home loss to Martin Luther College on Friday afternoon at Coon Rapids Soccer Complex. NCU was short handed due to several injuries and a player serving a red card suspension but hung in for the full 90 minutes in a difficult loss.

Martin Luther College (New Ulm, Minn.) had the best of the first half possession but the Rams had solid defense in the final third to keep the game at a 0-0 draw through the interval. NCU was able to get some late first half chances and that momentum carried over to the second half.

North Central created some good opportunities through the first 15 mintues of the second half but could not get a ball across the goal line. Eventually Martin Luther was able to capitalize on one of the rare moments of lax NCU defending in their own end to break the draw. A ball that came through to the top of the box was fired in to the upper right hand corner to give MLC a 1-0 lead. That 86th minute tally would eventually stand as the game winner despite several more Rams scoring chances in the remaining time.

Senior goalkeeper Noelle Stordock (Menomonee Falls, Wis./Menomonee Falls) made several fantastic saves to keep the Rams in the match and recorded 15 stops over the 90 minutes.

North Central will return to action tomorrow at 2:30 p.m. with a home match verses Bethany Lutheran College (Mankato, Minn.).